Thermostat



March 31, 1925.

J. F. GALLAGHER THERMOSTAT Filed Sept. 25 1922 //III 1 INVENTOR B ifommrs Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. THERMOSTATL Application filed September 25, 1922. Serial No. 590,270.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. GALLAGHER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, of the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic temperature regulating devices and specifically to an improved form of device adapted to be inserted in a heating system between the radiator and the boiler.

An object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character mentioned wherein an improved device is provided in a very simple, inexpensive form and wherein the setting of the same may be easily and readily varied to suit existing conditions.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device a number of which may be installed in the different rooms in a building these instruments being so constructed that the heat may be cut off entirely or until the temperature falls to a predetermined degree, say 38 to 40 F., from such rooms as desired leaving the heat turned on in the other rooms.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved construction wherein the device may be readily adjusted to vary the maintained temperature conditions, this novel feature being realized by the provision of an arrangement connected to the thermostatically-controlled leak port whereby the leak port itself may be adjusted relatively to the thermostatic element. The importance of this arrangement will be obvious to those skilled in the art because the thermostatic elementbeing at best only a very delicate instrument, it should not be tampered with more than is absolutely necessary whereas on the other hand the leak port structure is more or less rugged and for this reason readily lends itself to adjustment without danger of breakage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve for controlling the leak port and which is carried by theleak port structure itself, this valve being so arranged as to be controlled by the thermostatic element forming a part of my improved apparatus.

It is to be understood that my device is applicable to systems well known in the art wherein compressed air is employed for closing and opening the radiator valves the operation of the valve controlling the admission of air to the radiator valve being controlled by what is known in the art as a leak port, this leak port in turn being controlled by a thermostatic element.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1ngs,

Fig. 1 shows my improved temperatureregulating device in front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4: shows a modified form of leak port construction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates what may be termed a port block to which is connected one end of a valve-controlling tube 2 one end of this tube being closed while the other end is connected to the port block 1 and is in communication with a port 3 therein connected to an air intake pipe 4 through the port 5. The admission of air under pressure through the pipe 4 by way of the ports 5 and 3 may be regulated by the adjusting screw 6. The tube 2 has attached to it one end of a valveoperating lever 7 pivotally mounted on the base 8 of the device by means of a stud 9. The free end of this valve-controlling lever is connected to the. stem of a valve 10 this valve being adapted to control a port leading to a radiator valve so that as air under pressure is applied to the tube 2 the radiator valve will be opened until the temperature in the room has reached a predetermined value. Leading from the port block 1 is a vertically extending leak port pipe 11 this pipe being bent adjacent the upper end thereof to provide a lateral extension 12.-

or bracket 13 rigidly and permanently secured to the extension 12 of the leak port pipe and provided with a leak port flap valve 14 pivotally attached thereto which is adapted to control the leak port in the end of the pipe. Mounted upon the port block 1 is a thermostatic element 15 which is adapted to control the leak port valve 14 being provided Adjacent the end of this extension is a plate with a stud or the like 16 attached to the face thereof which is adapted to engage the flap valve under certain predetermined temperature conditions. In order that I may vary the setting of the device I provide a yoke 17 mounted on a stud 18 mounted on the face of the block 8, this yoke straddling the extension 12 so that upon actuation 0 the yoke the pipe 11 will be flexed slightly to carry the leak port pipe and valve toward or away from the thermostatic element as the case may be so as to vary the temperature which must be reached before the thermostatic element 15 will be moved out of engagement with the leak port valve. For convenience I provide the yoke 17 with an indicator 19 adapted to cooperate with graduations on the face of the port block 1 whereby the setting of the device may be observed.

So far as the operation of this-part of my improved device is concerned it will'be apparent that upon opening 'the pressure valves permitting air to be conducted to the pipe 4 this air under pressure will pass into the pipe or tube 2 and as the pressure builds up in this tube the same will tend to elongate or straighten out thereby actuating the valve lever 7 to close the valve 10. This effects an opening of the radiator valve. The room being cold at this time the thermostatic element is in engagement with the leak port valve 14 holding the same'closed.

The radiator valve now being opened the temperature in the room rises of course and upon a predetermined temperature being reached the thermostat 15 will have moved away, owing to this increase in temperature, from the face of the leak port valve 14 per mitting air to pass out through the leak port to thereby reduce the pressure in the tube 2. The tube, therefore, will return to its original position to permit the valve 10 to open thereby permitting the radiator valve to close. As the room cools due to the heat being turned off the thermostatic element 15 will return to its original position to close the leak port valvethereby preventing the escape of air by way of the leak port pipe 11 and permitting pressure to again build up in the tube 2. As the pressure builds up in the tube 2 this tube will again be elon-- gated closing the valve 10 and again causing the radiator valve toopen. The room will now heat up again'until the predetermined temperature is reached whereupon the same cycle of operation will be repeated.

If it should be desired to vary the maximum temperature to which the room may be heated it is merely necessa to vary the relative position of the lea port to the thermostat by operating the stud 18. In other words, should it be desired to increase the maximum temperature to which the room may be heated the stud 18 could be turned to the left as viewed in Fig.. 1 to carry the leak port valve 14 and the thermostatic element 15 to the left as well. This, of course, places the thermostatic element to vary the temperature 'to be moved into position to enga under, increased tension and naturally a higher temperature is necessary to cause the same to move away from engagement f with the leak port valve so as to permit the latter to open.

It will be seen therefore that from the de scription thus far given I have provided an apparatus wherein the temperature of a room may be automatically regulated and wherein the leak port valve which cooperates with the thermostatic element is mounted directly on the leak port pipe itself, the leak port pipe in turn being adjustable so as to enable the device to be set at which the thermostatic element becomes efiective to permit of closure of the radiator valve.

. In a building where heat is supplied from a central station it is desirable at times to close oif certain of the rooms of the building While retaining the heat on in the remaining rooms. In order that this may be readily accomplished I provide my device with a tube 21, this tube-having one end closed and its other end attached to the port block 1 and'in communication with a port 22 therein communicating with the air line. This pipe or tube 21 being in communication with the air line of the system, it will be understood that the same will be under pressure so as tocause the tube to elongate. I am speaking now of normal conditions. This tube is provided with a strap 25 pivotally attached to a pivot lever 26 pivotally mounted on a stud 27 mounted on the plate 8. This lever 26 carries an adjusting screw 29 and this screw may be adjusted so as to maintain the thermostatic element 15 away from the face of the flap valve 14 when the tube 21 -is in the position shown in Fig. 1, in other words when pressure is on the tube 21 which under normal conditions would mean that the room was to be maintained heated.

It is customary in large buildings to drop the pressure in the system at night and in order that my thermostat may be effective to maintain a room' heated under these conditions I provide the device 30 which is a locking member pivotally mounted on the stud 31 attached to the base 8. This device as will be apparent from Fig. 1 is adapted e the end of the tube 21 so that upon a re notion in pressure in the system which means a re duction in pressure in the tube 21 the latter can not contract to bring the adjusting screw 29 into engagement with the thermostatic element 15. The locking member 30 is automatic in som respects in that with reduced pressure in he tube 21 this locking member is held in engagement with the end of the tube 21 due to the tendency of this tube to assume a contracted position. However, as soon as this pressure on the lock-. 3

ing member is removed due to increase in pressure in the tube 21 when the normal pressure is built up therein the locking member will fall out by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1 so that upon the next occasion of reduction in pressure in the tube 21 the locking member will not be effective. Should it be desired permanently to lock the member 30 in engagement with the end of the tube 21 a locking device 32 pivoted on the plate 8 is provided which may e forced beneath the locking member 30- so as to prevent the same from dropping down to the position shown in Fig. 1.

It is desired under some conditions to maintain a temperature of rooms in which my device is installed above the freezing point. This may readily be accomplished with my improved apparatus if a pressure of ten pounds for example be provided in the system. Under these conditions the tube 21 will contract to carry the screw 29 against the thermostatic element 15, moving the same out of engagement with the leak port valve 14 to permit the same to open and remain in such position until the temperature in the room falls to about 45 F. When the temperature falls to this point the thermostatic element will force the screw 29 towards its original position until the element 16 once more engages the leak port valve, closing the same to cause the radiator valve to be turned to on position. This valve will remain in on position until the temperature of the room rises to say 45 F. As the temperature rises the thermostatic element will again be moved out of engagement with the leak port valve and remain in this position until the tempera ture of the room falls to say 40 F.

It will be noted in this operation of my device the element 15 overcomes the pressure built up in the tube 21.

It will be seen that my device under normal conditions, i. e., with a pressure of fifteen pounds in the system, will operate automatically to maintain a room temperature of from 68 to 70 F. and to maintain the same rooms at a temperature of from 38 to 40 F. when the air pressure is reduced to ten pounds for example.

It will be seen also that when the locking attachment is operated that the room temperature may be maintained at 68 to 70F. with an air pressure of only ten pounds instead of fifteen, the pressure necessary normal It will be seen from the foregoing therefore that I have provided an apparatus wherein the setting of the same, that is to' say the temperature at which a room may be maintained, is accomplished by imparting a bodily movement to the leak port pipe to adjust the same relatively to the thermostatic element which feature is of material mostat is provided with means for automatically manipulating the thermostatic element when the pressure in the system is reduced at night as is customary, this arrangement being so constructed that upon an increase in the pressure in the system the thermostat will automatically return to normal condition. A

It will be seen furthermore that I have provided means whereby should it be desired to maintain a room heated when reduced pressure conditions exist in the system the apparatus which would normally prevent this operation may be set, this apparatus being of such a nature that upon increased pressure the entire system will return to its normal condition and upon the next reduction in pressure in the system the room which the night before for example was maintained heated will on the following ni ht remain cold.

11 Fig. 4 of the drawings I illustrate a modified form of my improved leak port valve the extension 12 of the leak port pipe in this figure being provided with a slotted sleeve 33 which is adapted to control the leak port in the pipe 12. This sleeve is carried by the extension 12 and rovided with slots 34 for the escape of air rom the leak port and is adapted to be actuated so as to close off the leak port in the end of the extension 12 by the thermostatic element 15.

It will be obvious from Fig. 4 that when the thermostatic element 15 is cold the sleeve 33 will be forced to the right so that the end 35 thereof will close ofl the leak port and that when the thermostatic element 15 heats up and moves to the left the sleeve 33 will be forced to the left due to the air pressure in the leakport pipe.

claim:

1. In a thermostatic device, the combination of a port plate, a leak port pipe communicating with a port in said plate, a thermostatic element controlling the leak port in said pipe, and means for flexing said leak port pipe to vary the distance between the thermostatic element and said leak port.

2. In a thermostat the combination of a base, a port plate attached thereto, a leak port pipe leading from a port in said port plate, a thermostatic element for control-, ling the leak ort in said pipe and a yoke carried by sai leak port pipe and pivotally attached to said base for bodily moving said leak port pipe relative to said thermostatic p the port in said port element.

3. A thermostat comprising a leak port plpe, a leak port valve carried by said leak port pipe, a thermostatic element controlwith aclosed end, and

' the closed end of said pipe and to the first mentioned valve whereby upon building 'up of paessure in said pipe said valve will be c ose -f 5. A thermostat comprising a port plate,

' a pipe or tube in communication with a port in said plate one end of said tube being closed, a valve-controlling lever attached to the closed end of said tube, a valve attached to the free end of said lever, a leak port pipe connected to said port plate and communicating with a port therein, a thermostatic element for controlling the leak port in said leak port pi e, a second tube connected to said port p ate and in communication with a ort therein one end of said tube being close and a lever o eratively connected to the last-mentione tube adapted to cooperate with said thermostatic element for forcing the same away from the leak port upon reduction in pressure in the lastmentioned tube.

6. In a thermostat a leak port structure,

a thermostatic element for controlling the I leak port of said structure, a tube, a pivot lever, said tube being operatedby pressure therein for actuating said leverand controlling said thermostatic element to force the same away from the leak port controlled thereby upon" reduction in pressure in said tube and means for locking said tube in position to prevent its cooperation with said thermostatic element.

7. In combination, a port plate having ports adapted to communicate with a pressure system, a leak port pipe having one end connected to one of said ports, a leak port valve co-operating with said leak port pipe, a thermostatic element for controlling said leak port valve, 7 port pipe for varyin the position of said leak port valve relat vely to said thermostatic element, a tube having an open end connected to a port in said port plate, the opposite end of said tube being closed, a lever operatively connected to said tube and provided with adjustable means adapted to co-operate with said thermostatic element to force said thermostatic element away from said leak port valve upon reduction of pressure in the system, and means .for locking said tube in inoperative position whereby said thermostatic element may operate upon reduction in pressure in the system.

This specification signed this 22d September, 1922.

JAMES F. GALLAGHER.

day of means attached to said leak 

